Not Applicable
Not Applicable
In building a home, the design plans for what the home will look like are usually prepared by someone having architectural experience and engineering skills. The location where the home is to be erected is suitably prepared first by the establishment of an adequate and properly installed foundation, which is, of course, essential to all types of wood structures or for that matter, to any other structure. The home is erected in accordance with the architectural plans, usually by persons with some carpenter skills and experience.
The average layman usually does not have architectural experience or engineering skills to be able to design a home, and usually does not have the skills of an experienced carpenter to be able to erect a home. A home represents one of the most significant investments that one can make in his or her life time; therefore, it behooves one to assure that the design and erection of the home is professionally done to justify this significant investment.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a series of differently designed components, which have the same uniform height and which may be selectively arranged, positioned and aligned in side-by-side relationship for constructing a home.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a series of differently designed components, which are pre-engineered to meet national, state and local building standards in building a home for a life-time of trouble-free structural durability.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a componentized, 3-dimensional, self-aligning, self-engineering building system that will make it possible even for an average layperson, at least for one willing to attempt it, to lay out a design of a home that will meet his/her needs and that will be sufficiently appealing in accordance with his/her wishes as to the appearance the home should have.
A further object of the present invention is to provide separately designed components, in the manner described above, which may be made available through any local building supply company for ready selection by the individual homeowner-to-be or by a home building contractor in accordance with his/her requirements, and which may be easily loaded, carried away and positioned on a previously prepared site foundation without the necessity of using heavy equipment.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide separately designed components, in the manner described above, which may be aligned and connected in side-by-side relationship on a flat surface at the manufacturing site to form sections of a home that may be separately moved to a building site and aligned and assembled with other sections to form a home in accordance with the expectations and wishes of the homeowner-to-be.
The present invention, therefore, is directed to a componentized, three dimensional, self-aligning, self-engineering building system for homes and similar constructions having a plurality of individual, separately installable components of predetermined width and of the same predetermined height, which are selectively arranged, positioned and secured to each other in side-by-side relationship along the perimeter of and also secured on a previously prepared flat supporting surface. Each component defines at least one load-bearing vertical wall section having a lower end adapted to engage and to be secured to the flat supporting surface, and an upper end; and an inclined roof truss section comprising a series of multiple polygon configurated reinforcements connected together in side-by-side relationships having a lower end joined to the upper end of the vertical wall section to form an integrally constructed connected unit, and having an upper end, and which defines on each side thereof a plane of intersection with the roof truss section of an adjacent component.
One of the plurality of components has an inclined roof truss section that is defined by two three-sided planes each intersecting the other along a corresponding side thereof at an angle that is less than 180 degrees, as measured from the upper side of the inclined roof truss section.
Another of the plurality of components has an inclined roof truss section that is defined by two three-sided planes each intersecting the other along a corresponding side thereof at an angle that is greater than 180 degrees, as measured from the upper side of the inclined roof truss section.
In the componentized three dimensional self-aligning, self-engineering building system, each component has multiple ribs, which are connected together in spaced, parallel relationship as a single unit. Each rib defines a vertical member of the load-bearing vertical wall section having a predetermined length and a lower end adapted to engage the flat supporting surface, and an upper end; and an inclined lower chord member having a predetermined length and an inclined upper chord member having a predetermined length and overlying the inclined lower chord member in paired relationship. The inclined lower and inclined upper chord members are connected at their respective lower ends to the upper end of the vertical member, and are connected at their respective upper ends to form part of the series of multiple polygon configurated reinforcements in the aforementioned inclined roof truss section.
One of the components has a left rib and a right rib connected together in parallel relationship. The left rib and the right rib each has a primary vertical member of the load-bearing vertical wall section having a predetermined length and a lower end adapted to engage the flat supporting surface, and an upper end; and a primary inclined lower chord member having a predetermined length and a primary inclined upper chord member having a predetermined length and overlying the primary inclined lower chord member in paired relationship. The primary inclined lower and primary inclined upper chords are connected at their respective lower ends to the upper end of the primary vertical member and are connected at their respective upper ends to form part of the series of multiple polygon configurated reinforcements in the inclined roof truss section. The left rib and the right rib each includes a plurality of secondary inclined lower chord members having predetermined lengths and a plurality of secondary inclined upper chord members having predetermined lengths. Each secondary inclined upper chord member overlies a respective secondary inclined lower chord member in paired relationship. The secondary inclined lower and the secondary inclined upper chord members are connected at their respective lower ends, respectively, to and spaced at intervals along and inclined outwardly from the primary inclined lower chord member and the primary inclined upper chord member, and are connected at their upper ends to form part of the series of multiple polygon configurated reinforcements in the inclined roof truss section. The secondary inclined lower chord members and the secondary inclined upper chord members in the aforementioned paired relationships of the left rib and the right rib each have different predetermined lengths than adjacent secondary inclined lower and upper chord members for the same rib.
In one of the components, each component has a left rib and a right rib connected together in parallel relationship. The left rib and the right rib each has a primary vertical member of the aforementioned load-bearing vertical wall section and has a predetermined length and a lower end adapted to engage the flat supporting surface, and an upper end; and a primary inclined lower chord member having a predetermined length and a primary inclined upper chord member having a predetermined length and overlying the primary inclined lower chord member in paired relationship and connected at their respective lower ends to the upper end of the primary vertical member and connected at their respective upper ends to form part of the series of multiple polygon configurated reinforcements in the inclined roof truss section. The left rib and the right rib each includes at spaced parallel intervals therefrom a plurality of secondary vertical members of the load-bearing vertical wall section having the same predetermined lengths and each having a lower end adapted to engage the aforementioned flat supporting surface, and an upper end; and a plurality of secondary inclined lower chord members having predetermined lengths and a plurality of secondary inclined upper chord members having predetermined lengths and each overlying a respective secondary inclined lower chord member in paired relationship, and connected, respectively, at their respective upper ends to and spaced at intervals along and inclined outwardly from the primary inclined lower chord member and the primary inclined upper chord member and connected at their lower ends to a respective upper end of a secondary vertical member to form part of the series of multiple polygon configurated reinforcement in the inclined roof truss section. The secondary inclined lower chord members and the secondary inclined upper chord members in the aforementioned paired relationships each have different predetermined lengths than adjacent secondary inclined lower and secondary inclined upper chord members for the same rib.
The componentized three dimensional self-aligning, self-engineering building system further includes flat truss section components each having pairs of horizontally extending lower chord members and horizontally extending upper chord members each overlying one of the horizontally extending lower chord members in spaced parallel relationship and are connected together in side-by-side spaced, parallel relationship to define a rectangular cross-section having a predetermined width and a predetermined length longer than the aforementioned predetermined width. Each horizontally extending lower chord member and the overlying horizontally extending upper chord member have connected therebetween a series of reinforcing members formed in multiple polygon configurations. Each flat truss section component includes at each end thereof a pair of end members connected, respectively, across the respective ends of each pair of horizontally extending lower and upper chord members in the flat truss section component. In this manner, therefore, each flat truss section component is adapted to engage at each pair of end members and to be connected to an inclined roof truss section of another of the aforementioned components.
The outer horizontally extending lower and upper chord members for each side of the flat truss section component defines a pair of side members adapted to engage and be connected to another component.
Each componentized three dimensional self-aligning, self-engineering building system further includes a flat truss section component having a rectangular cross-section and is adapted to engage at each end thereof and be connected to an inclined roof truss section of one the other aforementioned components.
Each componentized three dimensional self-aligning, self-engineering building system may further have a plurality of flat truss section components positioned in side-by-side relationship and each engaging at each end thereof and being connected to an upper end of an inclined roof truss section of one of the other aforementioned components.
In the componentized three dimensional self-aligning, self-engineering building system, each component may include a left rib and a right rib connected together in parallel relationship. The left rib and the right rib each has a primary vertical member of the aforementioned load-bearing vertical wall section having a predetermined length and having a lower end adapted to engage the aforementioned flat supporting surface, and an upper end; and a primary inclined lower chord member having a predetermined length and a primary inclined upper chord member having a predetermined length and overlying the primary inclined lower chord member in paired relationship and connected at their respective lower ends to the upper end of the primary vertical member and connected at their respective upper ends to form part of the series of multiple polygon configurated reinforcements in the inclined roof truss section. The left rib and the right rib each have a plurality of secondary inclined lower chord members having predetermined lengths and a plurality of secondary inclined upper chord members having predetermined lengths and each overlying a respective secondary inclined lower chord member in paired relationship and connected, respectively, at their respective lower ends to and spaced at intervals along and inclined outwardly from the primary inclined upper chord member and connected at their upper ends to form part of the series of multiple polygon configurated reinforcements.
The componentized three dimensional self-aligning, self-engineering building system may be represented on a smaller scale by modeling blocks, which include the following basic shapes:
a. a rectangular block having a predetermined width and a predetermined length greater than the predetermined width, a flat bottom surface, vertical sides intersecting the flat bottom surface at right angles, and at least one inclined top surface intersecting the vertical sides at right angles, and the rectangular block having the general configuration shown in FIG. 17 of the drawings;
b. a rectangular block having the same predetermined length on each side, a flat bottom surface, vertical sides intersecting the flat bottom surface at right angles, at least one inclined top surface defined by two intersecting triangular plane surfaces having an angle therebetween less than 180 degrees, as measured from the top surface, the two intersecting triangular plane surfaces also intersecting the vertical sides at right angles, and the rectangular block having the general configuration shown in FIG. 18 of the drawings; and
c. a rectangular block having the same predetermined length on each side, a flat bottom surface, vertical sides intersecting the flat bottom surface at right angles, at least one inclined top surface defined by two intersecting triangular plane surfaces having an angle therebetween greater than 180 degrees, as measured from the top surface, and two intersecting triangular plane surfaces also intersecting the vertical sides at right angles, and the rectangular block having the general configuration shown in FIG. 19 of the drawings.
The modeling blocks may further include the following block shapes:
a. a rectangular block having the same predetermined length on each side, a flat bottom surface, vertical sides intersecting the flat bottom surface at right angles, a top flat surface intersecting the vertical sides at right angles, and the rectangular block having the general configuration shown in FIG. 20 of the drawings;
b. a rectangular block having a predetermined length and a predetermined width, a flat bottom surface adapted to be positioned on the flat top surface of the rectangular block recited in subparagraph a., a top surface intersecting the flat bottom surface and defined by two intersecting and oppositely facing truncated triangular plane surfaces each intersecting the other along the line of truncation between the truncated triangular plane surfaces at an angle greater than 180 degrees, as measured from the top surface, and each also intersecting along one of its three sides the flat bottom surface, a triangular plane surface located between and intersecting along each of two of its three sides another of the three sides of one of the truncated triangular plane surfaces and also intersecting along its third side the flat bottom surface; the rectangular block further including a triangular side surface intersecting on one of its three sides the flat bottom surface at right angles and intersecting on each of its other two sides the third side of one of the truncated triangular plane surfaces, and the rectangular block having the general configuration shown in FIGS. 21(a), 21(b) of the drawings;
c. a rectangular block having a predetermined length and a predetermined width, a flat bottom surface adapted to be positioned on the flat top surface of the rectangular block recited in subparagraph a., two triangular plane surfaces each intersecting at one of its three sides the flat bottom surface at right angles, at least two inclined, oppositely facing rectangular flat surfaces each intersecting the other along one of its four sides at an angle greater than 180 degrees, as measured from the top surfaces, the two inclined rectangular flat surfaces each also intersecting along one of two other of its sides one of teach of the triangular planes surfaces and along still another of its four sides the flat bottom surface, and the rectangular block having the general configuration shown in FIG. 22 of the drawings; and
d. a triangular block having a predetermined length and a predetermined width, a flat bottom surface adapted to be positioned on one of the truncated triangular plane surfaces of the rectangular block recited in subparagraph b. and on one of the inclined rectangular flat surfaces of the rectangular block recited in subparagraph c., a top surface defined by two oppositely facing inclined triangular plane surfaces each intersecting the other along one of its three sides at greater than 180 degrees, as measured from the top surface, and intersecting along another of its three sides the flat bottom surface, a flat triangular surface inclined from a vertical plane of less than 90 degrees and intersecting along one of its three sides the flat bottom surface and intersecting along each of its other two sides the third side of one of the oppositely facing inclined triangular plane surfaces, and the triangular block having the general configuration shown in FIGS. 23(a), 23(b) of the drawings.